B.Arch (Hons) 1995.
Cox Richardson, Sydney. 1995 to 2000.
Arup Associates, London. 2000 to 2001
Senior Associate, HASSELL, Sydney. 2001 to present.

After a deep recession in the construction industry in the early 90's I was, perhaps, a little fortunate to graduate from my studies at UNSW in the mid-90's when things were starting to look upwards.

Many Sydney architecture practices were competing for work associated with the Sydney Olympics and the rejuvenation of the Homebush Bay area. I was swept into this maelstrom by a chance conversation and soon found myself working for Philip Cox in a consortia competition to design the main stadium.

As an enthusiastic graduate I racked up monumental hours of focussed work under the guidance of another UNSW graduate, Andrew Frost. We were ably informed in our work by an exceptional structural engineer from ARUP, Tristram Carfrae. Although we were unsuccessful in our endeavours on this project, many other large-scale public building projects were realised in Australia and Asia.

After 6 years of demanding work in Sydney I relocated to ARUP Associates, London, to pursue a personal interest in the wholistic approach to building design - whereby architects and engineers truly and closely collaborate in all phases of the building design - and to experience living in a large metropolis. It was all a rewarding experience but after just one year I was driven homewards by the lack of sunlight in those latitudes.

Upon returning to Sydney I gave careful consideration to what was important to me as an architect - buildings that are meaningful to their specific users and the wider arc of their region, that are sustainable and responsive to climate, that are assured and enduring in construction - and I found an enthusiastic and talented work environment to support that vision at HASSELL, where I have enjoyed working on the design and construction of many different building types across numerous sectors.

The most memorable experience that I had as a student at UNSW was a period of one year where a particularly motivated academic, Alan Ogg, and a handful of excited students (including me) designed and constructed with their own hands the SOLARCH Research Facility on University land at Little Bay. One cannot design a building well if one does not know, from trial and error, how building components are sensibly brought together over a constrained period of time in a considered relationship that supports the overall vision of the architectural solution. This on-site experience generated a great sense of collegiality amongst the students and provided us with a sound platform from which to enter the profession as graduates. That the intended purpose of this building was for the advancement of knowledge in the field of environmental sciences specifically associated with the built environment was both forward-looking and of great pride to all of those who contributed to its procurement.

As a footnote to this story, it was saddening for all of those involved to learn that this building was ungraciously demolished this year to make way for another development. Just like student life, all good things come to an end.